Lid for refrigerator cabinets



Patented Aug. 18, 1931' UNITED STATES relasl PATENT OFIC NELSON MARTIN VANDEGRIFT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 SHEI]? & VANDEGRIFT, INC., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORPORATIQN OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LID FOR REFRIGERATOR CABINETS Application filed October 13, 1930. Serial No. 488,214.

My invention relates to lids for refrigerator cabinets or for other like structures and purposes.

Many of the lids as heretofore constructed have been found to be defective because of a construction by which the sheet metal top plate may be easily separated from the Outer rim or spacer member thus permitting warm air from'the room in which the refrigerator is located to enter the insulation chamber in the lid thereby tending to lessen the insulat-' of the same and adjoining portions of the structure.

The general object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of l'id including means whereby the entrance of warm air from outside the refrigerator cabinet into the interior of thelid may be obviated.

It also is an object of the invention to provide a lid of the characterindicated wherein means is provided for more securely binding together certain parts embodied in the structure than heretofore has been the case as far as I am aware.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an effective seal for the joint between the edge of the top plate and the rim member, and to so construct the sealing means as not to destroy the insulating effect intended to be produced by the rim member.

To the foregoing and other ends my invention comprehends the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying this application wherein I the invention may be embodied in forms I other than that shown and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the lnvention or the principle thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in central transverse section of a lid embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lid taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, a portion of the lid being broken away and shown in section; and

Fig. '3 is a View in perspective of a ring employed in the construction and constituting a sealing means as well as means for binding certain parts embodied in the lid structure more securely together.

In the drawings I have shown an annular member 1 which may consist of-semi-vulcanized rubber or other suitable material. The member 1 constitutes the outer edge ,or rim portion of the lid and it is provided as usual with an outwardly extended flange-like portion 2 the under side of which is grooved, as indicated at 3, to adapt the same for engagement with the upper curved edge of an annular sheet metal member 4, shown in dash lines, which fits inside of the opening 5 in the top of a cabinet, portions of the latter being indicated by dash and dot lines.

The inner edge of the top portion of the annular member 1 projects inwardly beyond the inner edge of the lower portion of the inner side thereof thereby providing a shoulder 10. The opening through the member 1 is completely filled with cork 11 or other suitable material. V The peripheral edge of the filling 11 is the reverse of that of the inner edge-of the member 1. That is to say,

the upper portion of the periphery of the filler 11 is cut away or recessed, as indicated at 12. The cutting away of said portion provides a shoulder 13 which when the filler is assembled with the member 1 occupies a position in contiguous relation to the under side of the shoulder 10. The lower surface of the filler 11 is practically flush with the surface of thelower or bottom edge of the member 1. The top of the cork filler 11 is covered and protected by a sheet 15 of any suitable rust-resisting metal, such metals usually being referred to as rustless. The outer edge of the metal sheet 15 is bent downwardly and then inwardly to form a narrow portion 16 which is parallel with the outer edge portion of the said sheet. The inner edge of the portion 16 is bent downwardly or transversely of the lid to form a flange-like portion 17 which fits closely against the inner side of the inwardly projecting upper edge portion of the member 1. The narrow portion 16 is slightly spaced from the opposing edge portion of the sheet 15.

An annular sealing and holding sheet metal channel member 20 overlies the flange- -like portion 17. The flanges 21 and 22 of the channel member 20 extend or project outwardly as shown. The flange 21 is located underneath the shoulder 13 while the flange 22 projects into the space between the narrow portion 16 and the opposing edge portion of the plate 15. The engagement of the flanges 21 and 22 respectively with the shoulder 13 and with the outer bent edge portion of the plate 15 operates to tie the annular rim member 1 and the sheet 15 firmly together. The channel member 20 overlies the joint between the flange-like portion 17 and the inner upper edge of the annular member 1 and constitutes a seal therefor. In order that the annular channel member 20 may be readily inserted and removed from the position inwhich it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as desired it is in the form of a split ring, the ends thereof being located in contiguous relation to each other as shown at 23. The said annular or split ring member 20 should be flexible and resilient. The annular member 20 being split, it is adapted to be compressed so as to cause the adjoining ends to overlap to thereby reduce the diameter of the same and permit its insertion into position within the annular member 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The lower or bottom side of the cork filler is covered and protected by a sheet 25 of rust-resisting material such as is employed in the sheet 15. Its outer edge is provided with an outwardly and upwardly extending flange 26 which surrounds and engages the outer side of the lower edge portion of the annular member 1. The plate 25 is provided at its center with an inwardly projecting truncated cone-shaped portion 27 having an opening 28 therethrough. The

. inwardly extending portion 27 pro ects into a recess 29 of corresponding shape formed in the lower or bottom end of a plug or block 30 which is located within an opening 31 provided at the center of the cork filler 11, or filler of any other suitable material. The plug or block 30 is provided with a central opening 32 therethrough which is in alinement with a screw-threaded opening 33 provided in a lining or sleeve 34 mounted in an opening 35 provided in the inner end portion of the handle 36. The latter is provided with an inwardly projecting squared portion 37 which projects into an opening 38 provided in the plate 15 and engages the edges of said opening. A metal washer 40 is located between the lower or inner end of the handle 36 and the upper or outer end of the plug or block 30. The outer edges of the washer 40 extend beyond and overlie the edges of the opening 38. The bottom plate 25, the plug or block 30, the plate 15 and the handle 36 are tied and held together by a holding and binding screw 41 the head of which is seated in the recess formed by the inwardly or upwardly projecting portion 27. The parts of the structure are further held together by the presence of a layer of asphaltic or other cement 42 which completely incloses the filler 11. The cement also is present between the plug or block 30 and the inner surface of the opening through the filler 11 within which the said block is located.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided means whereby the parts or elements embodied in the lid structure are firmly held and bound together and that also I have provided means for overlying and sealing the joint between the marginal edge of the plate 15 and the inner upper or outer edge of the member 1 whereby the entrance of warm air into the space formed by the outer rim member and the top and bottom walls is obviated. It will also be seen that I have provided an improved construction in which the edge of the top plate is securely held against the upper wall of the rim member, thereby preventing the edge of the plate from being separated from the rim member when the lid is subjected to the rough treatment ordinarily incident to the use of lids of this kind.

It will also be seen that my improvement provides between the edge of the top plate and the rim member a joint that is so sealed as to prevent foreign matter from entering and accumulating between the top plate and the upperwall of the rim member and within the interior of the lid. My improvement also makes it possible for the lid to be dismantled for repair of the parts, particularly battered and disfigured top plates, without other damage to the parts such as would prevent their continued use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lid for refrigerator cabinets or the like comprising an outer annular rim member, the inner side of which is provided with a shoulder, a filler located within the said annular member, said filler having a shoulder located underneath and in contiguous relation to the first named shoulder, a protecting sheet metal plate overlying the said filler the outeredge of which overlaps the inner edge of the upper side of the said annular member, the said outer edge being provided with inwardly and downwardly extending portions the latter of which overlies the inner side of the upper portion of the said annular member, and an-annular channel member overlying the said downwardly extending portion, the upper flange of said channel member overlying the said inwardly extending portion of said protecting plate and the lower flange of said channel member being located underneath and in engagement with the said shoulder upon the said annular member.

2. A lid for refrigerator cabinets or the like comprising an outer annular rim member, the upper edge portion of the inner side thereof projecting beyond the lower portion of the inner side of said member to form an inwardly extending shoulder, a filler of homogeneous material located within said annular rim member, the upper portion of the peripheral edge thereof being cut away, to provide an outwardly extending shoulder which is located underneath the inwardly ex tending shoulder of the said rim member, a cover plate of sheet metal overlying the said filler with its outer edge overlapping the upper side of the inner edge portion of the said rim member, and a split ring member of channel shape in cross section overlying the inner side of the said inwardly projecting portion of the said rim member, the upper flange of said split ring member being interlocked with the outer edge portion of the said sheet metal cover plate and the lower flange there of'being located underneath the shoulder upon the inner side of the said rim member.

3. A lid of the character described comprising an annular rim member of resilient material, a filler of cork located within the opening of said annular member, a sheet metal cover plate overlying the said filler with its outer edge overlappng the upper side of the inner edge of the said annular rim member, the outer edge of said cover plate terminating in an inwardly extending portion in spaced relation to the opposing adjoining edge portion of the said cover plate and in a downwardly extending flange portion which is located upon the inside of the upper portion of the said annular member, means overlying the said flange portion, means for interlocking the upper edge of the said overlying means with the outer edge of the said cover plate, and means for interlocking the lower edge ofthe said overlying means with the said annular member.

4. A lid of the character described comprising an annular rim member of rubber, the inner side of which is provided with a horizontal shoulder spaced fromthe top side of said member, a filler of cork located within and filling the opening through the said rim member, said filler having a horizontal shoulder located in a plane intermediate the planes of the upper and lower sides of saidliller, said shoulder being located underneath and in adjoining relation to the shoulder of the said rim member, a sheet metal cover platev overlying the upper side of the said cork filler, the outer edge of the said cover plate being extended inwardly in approximate parallel relation to the adjoining opposing portion of the said cover plate and the inner edge of the said inwardly extended portion extending downwardly upon the inner side of and in contact with the upper portion of the said rim member, and a split ring sheet metal member of channel shape in cross section overlying the said downwardly extended portion of the said cover plate,the upper flange of the said split ring channel member projecting into the space between the inwardly extended portion of the said sheet metal cover plate and the adjoining opposing portion of said plate and the lower flange of the said channel member being located underneath the horizontal shoulder upon the inner side of the said annular member for holding the said sheet metal cover plate and the said annular member in as sembled relation.

5. A lid of the character described comprising an annular rim member, a filler located within the opening through the said annular member, a sheet metal cover plate overlying and protecting the said filler, the outer edge portion of said protecting cover plate being located in contiguous relation to the inner upper edge portion of the said annular member, and metallic resilient spring means for sealing the joint between the outer edge portion of the said cover plate and the upper inner edge portion of the said annular member.

6. A lid of the character described comprising an annular rim member, a filler member located in the opening through the said annular member, the outer edge of said filler member being in contiguous relation to the inner side of the said annular member, a sheet metal cover plate overlying the upper side of the said filler member, and removable means for locking the outer edge of the said sheet metal cover plate and the inner upper edge portion of the said rim member together.

7. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination an annular rim member,

a top plate having its margin overlying the' 11II1 member, a bottom plate, an expansion ring within the rim member and having interlocking engagement with both the top space formed by the rim member and said plates.

8. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination an annular rim memher, a top plate having its margin overlying said rim member and reversely bent upon itself, a bottom plate, insulating material within the space formed by the rim member and said plates, and an expansion ring within the rim member and co-operating with the inwardly bent margin of the top plate for securing the rim member and the top plate together.

9. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination an annular rim member having a shoulder on the inner wall thereof, a top plate overlying the rim member and having its edge reversely bent upon itself, a bottom plate, an expansion ring within the rim member having an outwardly turned flange at one edge for engagement with the reversely bent edge of the top plate and an outwardly turned flange at the opposite edge for engagement with the shoulder on the rim member, and insulating material within the space formed by the rim member and said plates.

10. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination a rim member, to top plate having its margin overlying said rim member, a bottom plate, means in removable interlocking engagement with the top plate and the rim member to secure the same together and provide an effective seal between the edge of the top plate and the rim member, and insulating material within the space formed by the rim member and the said lates.

11. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination a rim member of insulating material, a top plate having its margin overlying said rim member, a bottom plate, removable sealing means within the rim member in interlocking engagement with the top plate and with the rim member intermediate the ends of the latter," to secure the edge of the top plate and the rim member together, and insulating material within the space formed by the rim member and the said plates and retaining the sealing means in position.

12. A lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising a rim member, a top plate having its margin overlying the ri member, a bottom plate, removable means in interlocking engagement with the top plate and with the rim member to secure the edge of the top plate and the rim member together, and insulating material within the space formed by the rim member and said plates and retaining the removable means in position.

13. 'A. lid for refrigerator cabinets comprising in combination a rim member having a shoulder on the inner wall thereof intermediate the ends of the rim member, a top plate having its margin overlying said rim member, a bottom plate, locking means engaging the top plate and the shoulder on the rim member to seal the edge of the top plate and the rim member together, and insulating material filling the space formed by the rim member and said plates.

14. A lid for refrigerator cabinets com-.

prising in combination a rim member of insulating material having a shoulder on one wall intermediate the ends thereof, a top.

plate having its marginal edge overlying the rim member, a bottom plate, removable looking means interengaging the saidshoulder and the top plate to secure the edge of the top plate and the rim member together, and insulating material filling the space formed by the rim member and said plates.

15. In a lid for refrigerator cabinets the combination of a rim member of insulating material, a top plate having its margin overlying the rim member, a bottom plate, and means detachably interlocked with the margin of the top plate and with the rim member to secure the top plate and the rim member together, said means being spaced from said bottom plate and insulated therefrom by the said rim member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 11th day of October, A. D. 1930.

NELSON M. VANDEGRIFT. 

